Hanging leaves of Babylon

The Gods of Babylon city appear through the portraits of the inhabitants of the Babilônia Favela in Rio de Janeiro. These portraits are made with chlorophyll from leaves, which, with the exposure of the sun, prints the images when the photographic positive is left on the leaf for a few days. Thanks to this process, Benoît can achieve phantasmagoric portraits, which value the anonymous heroes of the favela. Although they live in precarious conditions, these people can support themselves and their families and manage to survive in this harsh environment. Chlorophyll printing is a natural and ephemeral process that includes basic photographic techniques. As the goal is to be in touch with nature, no chemical products are used. The leaves come from the favela itself and help create a historical memory of the favela and its people.